Big fashion brands on the look-out for available space

The decline in consumption has sharpened competition in fashion and cosmetics retail, with big brands no longer examining new malls, instead being on a look-out for conveniently placed stores in already established malls. Zara, Gap and Debenhams are just some of the brands that entered established malls, replacing small players, which either closed because they were unable to sustain their business, or accepted smaller spaces or lower rent in a different area of the mall. Developers are also fighting to draw them in, especially since the mix preferred by clients fetches the biggest revenues. "We conduct studies on consumer preferences twice a year and we try to come up with the right blend. Many brands enter a mall after the old tenant's contract has expired or if the player that has a contract underway chooses a smaller space in the same shopping centre," says Radu Tanasescu, operations manager of Anchor Group, which holds the Plaza Romania and Bucuresti Mall shopping centres in Bucharest.